Most Popular Rolex Daytona Watches 2023

Rolex Daytona Watches

The mid-80s Daytonas are the most modern vintage Daytonas you can get. They look great! One special version that stands out among the regular versions is the Ref. 6263 with a black and white Exotic dial. The dial loses the red elements found in previous “Paul Newman” models, but the result is, in my opinion, one of the best-looking Daytonas. It has a seriousness to it that I like compared to the frivolity of exotic dials with red accents. Because they are rare, they are among the most popular and expensive replica Rolex Daytona models. The plain silver and black dial versions form the perfect bridge between the old and new or hand-wound and automatic models. Their prices start at around 80,000 euros and go up to several hundred thousand euros for the rarer versions.
Now let’s take a look at the first watch to appear in these top five lists for the second time. If you are a regular reader of this series, I also put the Rolex Daytona ref. 16520 in the list of the most important Zenith El Primero references. And with the dawn of a new era came a new movement and a new design. When fake Rolex launched Ref. 16520, it was clear that it was not just another incremental evolution for the brand. The new Daytona introduced a new, larger 39mm case, an updated bezel design, a new strap and a new movement.
Rolex also introduced a two-tone (steel and gold) version of the Daytona ref along with the stainless steel model. 16523 and a yellow-gold version of Ref. 16528. But it’s all about the stainless steel model, which comes with a black or white dial and a hint of the “Daytona” name in red above the 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. Inside the case, Rolex presents its new 4030 calibre. This automatic chronograph movement is based on the famous Zenith El Primero. Rolex reduced the operating frequency from 36,000vph to 28,800vph, eliminated the date function, modified the escapement and replaced the hairspring. All of this has made the movement more reliable.
The successor to the “Zenith Daytona” introduced Rolex’s first in-house manufactured chronograph movement. As such, it is a monumental version of the Rolex Daytona collection. The model 116520 was introduced in 2000, ensuring that from that moment on, every Rolex watch was made entirely in-house. The Model 116520 is available in black or white. Our very own Ben Hodges is proud to own a white dial version. When it comes to specifications, you get a standard set of specifications that most of you will know by heart. The watch comes in a “40mm” case and is 12mm thick. But as Ben says in his review, the actual size is smaller than Rolex indicates, at about 38.5 mm.

2023

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Rolex’s Most Impressive “Non-Catalog” Watches

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Like almost every luxury watch manufacturer, Rolex never got into special editions.
However, Rolex produces some truly special editions of their best pieces in very small numbers. The big difference between them and what their competitors offer is that fake Rolex’s special editions don’t appear in their catalogs, so not many people know about them.
Rolex is rightfully proud of its racing chronographs, as evidenced by its number of variations over the years. The standard product portfolio now boasts over 40 different models, which, while not comparable to the Datejust or Day-Date, still far exceed anything else in the professional line. The next largest series in stock is the Yacht Prestige series, with only 17, including the original and renewed Yacht Prestige II.
We could do an entire article on Daytonas outside the catalog alone. It is one of the watches most often chosen for customization and is no stranger to some bling. While gold options have been available on almost every model since its debut in 1963, the diamond-set bezel first appeared in the early 1980s, when it was still underperforming the first generation.
However, few of these gem-set models were as popular as the so-called Rainbow Daytona, which was unusual for a watch that never appeared in the official lineup and was quite famous.
The time, skill, and expense required to find precisely the right sapphire color to achieve this effect cannot be overstated. Not only is the match between the bezel and the hour marker stones perfect, but the gradation of tones of the one sapphire that surrounds it is completely unmistakable.
You might think that the only difference between that watch and this one is the inclusion of the brand’s carefully selected gemstones. There are plenty of gems to catch the eye. The fully functional unidirectional bezel is fitted with 36 dark blue baguette sapphires, the first nine slightly lighter and serving as 15-minute markers on the Sub’s traditional chronograph scale.
However, as striking as all this ice is, it’s not the only thing that sets it apart from the standard watch. The watch has two dials; an all-diamond pavĂ© dial that includes eight sapphire hour markers or a beautiful deep blue dial with a sunburst motif. Both include the Cyclops lens on the date window but are otherwise omitted. Neither variant includes a depth rating of 300 meters, and the diamond-set model does not have the text “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified.”
However, both models are built around a standard 40mm Oyster case and Triplock crown, and by the internal Cal. 3135, these qualifications can be considered read.
Both of these breathtaking creations are made from the same Cal. 3186, technically, they can be used as true dual time zone watches. However, since any bezel numerals disappear into a sea of gems, this is impossible.
Of course, that’s beside the point. All these cheap replica watches, and the vast number of others created over the years, represent the ultimate replica Rolex collection. They are made for those for whom only the best is good enough and who have bank balances comparable to those of smaller countries.
For the rest of us, whether or not jewelry of this caliber is to our taste, it is at least impossible not to admire the dedication, expertise, and sheer audacity of Rolex’s gemologists and the timepieces they produce.

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